White House: Egypt aid reports 'are not accurate'

8/20/13 1:24 PM EDT

The White House again knocked down reports that the Obama administration has temporarily suspended some aid to Egypt, as a spokesman saying those reports "are not accurate."

"Our aid and assistance relationship with Egypt is under a review, but it has not been cut off," principal deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said Tu
President Obama ordered a review of military aid to Egypt in early July, but that review "has not concluded," Earnest said.

Assistance is not provided in a constant stream “like a faucet" or "spigot" that can be immediately shut off and on. Rather, he said, it's "provided in tranches."

Aides to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) told POLITICO and other news organizations that the Obama administration has temporarily suspended most direct military aid to Egypt. “As we noted yesterday, the State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee was told that the transfer of military aid was stopped, that this is current practice, not necessarily official policy, and there is no indication of how long it will last,” an aide said.

Earnest declined to say whether the position laid out by Leahy's office is right or wrong.

Earlier Tuesday, the White House said the aid was under review that no decision had been made.

“The report that we have suspended assistance to Egypt is incorrect," National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said, responding to the Daily Beast, which first reported on a temporary aid suspension. "As the president has said, we are reviewing all of our assistance to Egypt. No policy decisions have been made at this point regarding the remaining assistance."